Ballast handling devices for use under railroad tracks



BALLAST HANDLING msvxcxs FOR USE UNDER RAILROAD TRACKS Filed March 26, 1957 J. W. CHRISTOFF Nov. 29, 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 EFEEFFFJYLI E IL; n

Nov. 29, 1960 J. w. CHRISTOFF 2,961,972

BALLAST HANDLING DEVICES FQR USE UNDER RAILROAD TRACKS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 26, 1957 Nov. 29, 1960 2,961,972

BALLAST HANDLING DEVICES FOR USE UNDER RAILROAD TRACKS J. W. CHRISTOFF 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 26, 1957 J. w. CHRISTOFF 2,961,972

BALLAST HANDLING DEVICES FOR USE UNDER RAILROAD TRACKS Nov. 29, 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed March 26, 1957 Nov. 29, 1960 J. w. CHRISTOFF BALLAST HANDLING DEVICES FOR USE UNDER RAILROAD TRACKS .5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 26, 1957 BALLAST HANDLING DEVICES FOR USE UNDER RAILROAD TRACKS James W. Christoii', Minneapolis, Minn., assignor, by

mesne assignments, to Mannix Co. Ltd., Calgary, Alberta, Canada Filed Mar. 26, 1957, Ser. No. 648,647

1 Claim. (Cl. 104-7) This invention relates to under-track devices of the so-called ballast sled and ballast plow types.

Ballast plows are employed for removing fouled ballast from a railroad roadbed. A plow is inserted be tween the roadbed and the ties to which the track rails are secured and is then towed along the track in this position by a locomotive. As the plow progresses it raises the ties from the roadbed ahead of it, supports the ties and the tracks secured thereto, as the device passes underneath, and finally allows the ties and track to settle back onto the roadbed or sub-grade behind the device. The weight of the ties and track supported by the plow is considerable and the plow is therefore pressed firmly down against the ballast. By providing the plow with one or more scraper blades it is possible to separate either the full depth of ballast or a layer of ballast of chosen depth and displace this ballast to the side of the track be yond the ends of the ties, so that when the ties resettle this displaced ballast can be readily removed.

Ballast sled devices are similar to ballast plows in that they are inserted between the roadbed and the ties and are towed along in this position by a locomotive. Sleds, however, are used either during the laying down of new tracks or to perform a reballasting operation following the pulling of a ballast plow in the manner just described. After the plow has removed the fouled ballast, or, in the case of a new track laid directly on the sub-grade, after the track has been so laid, fresh clean ballast is dumped onto the track to lie on top of the ties and rails. The function of the sled is to raise the ties up to their desired level and distribute the ballast evenly beneath them. Subsequently additional ballast will normally be dumped on the track between each pair of adjacent ties, this latter operation usually being carried out manually, since it does not require raising of the track.

There is much in common between the basic structure of a ballast plow and a ballast sled, the difference being that the plow uses scraper blades for deflecting ballast, whereas the sled uses levelling blades for smoothing out ballast. In other respects these two devices function in a very similar manner, each being required to move along the roadbed while lifting and supporting a span of track. Both devices consist of a generally flat framework of rigid construction, this framework including essentially a plate of metal, upper runner means for slidingly and supportingly engaging the ties, and either scraper blades (in the case of the plow) or under-runners and levelling blades (in the case of the sled).

Reference may be made to L. B. Franco and J. C. Stein United States Patent No. 2,921,390 issued January 19, 1960, for examples of ballast plows and to L. B. Franco United States Patent No. 2,769,172 issued October 30, 1956, for an example of a ballast sled.

The Object of the present invention is to improve the basic structure of under-track devices generally, including both plows and sleds, and thereby to provide a device that will be more reliable in use, more long lasting, less prone States Patent to stoppages, and capable of increased efliciency of operation.

The various features of the invention will become apparent from consideration of the under-track device illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings and, from the appended claim. A ballast sled has been chosen to illustrate the various structural features of the present invention. It is however to be under.- stood that, in a like manner, they are equally applicable to a ballast plow.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 shows a top plan view of a ballast sled with rear fiaps in raised position;

Figure 2 shows a side view of the sled seen in Figure 1;

Figure 3 shows an underside plan view of the sled in Figures l and 2; Figure 4 is a section taken on the line IV--IV in Fig; ure 1; Figure 5 is a front view of the sled taken on the line V-V in Figure 1, but showing the flaps in lowered posi-' tion;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary rear view taken on the line VIVI in Figure 1, also with the flaps in lowered position;

Figure 7 is a similar view to Figure 6 taken on the line VIIVII in Figure 1, but with the main flaps in raised position;

Figure 8 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation taken on the line VIII-VIII of Figure 1, also showing the main flaps in lowered position;

'Figure 9 is a diagrammatic side view of the sled eration on a length of track;

Figure 10 is a fragmentary section taken on the line XX in Figure 1 during pulling of the sled in the man: ner shown in Figure 9, demonstrating the function of the main and central'fiaps;

Figure 11 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of a portion of one of the upper runners of the sled shown in the foregoing figures;

Figure 12 is a side view of the parts seen in Figure 11; v Figure 13 is a section on the line XIII-XIII in Figure 11;

Figures 14A and 14B form an exploded diagrammatic illustration for one type of rail of the conditions pertaining to a span of track in the vicinity of a sled device such as described in the foregoing figures;

Figures 15A and 15B are a further pair of similar diagrammatic views which when taken together provide a similar indication of the characteristics of a lifted span of track in the vicinity of the device, for a different typ of rail;

Figure 16 is a view from approximately ground level looking towards the front of an oncoming sled in operation under conditions in which a tie is hanging loosely at one end; and

Figure 17 is a. side view of the conditions shown in Figure 16.

The sled 10 consists of a framework structure of welded construction comprising a main plate 11 of steel, to the underside of which there are secured five parallel spaced beams 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16, each carrying on its lowermost web an under-runner 17, 18, 19, 20 and21 respectively (see particularly Figure 4). The two beams 12 and 16 extending along the side edges of the sled and the central beam 14 together with their under-runners 17, 21 and 19 terminate level with the front edge 25 of the main plate 11, these under-runners having at their forward ends upwardly curved portions 22, 23 and 24 respectively (best seen in Figure 2). The intermediate beams 13 and 15, and with them the under-runners 1Q in 0pand 20 that they carry, extend a considerable distance forwardly of the front edge 25 of the main plate 11. These latter under-runners 18 and 20 are not upwardly curved, but their corresponding beams 13 and 1 5 are downwardly curved along their upper edges as at 27 (Figure 2) to support downwardly curved forward portionsZS and 29 of upper runner members 30 and 31 that extend rearwardly from these extreme forward points of the sled structure to pass along the top of the main plate 11 supported a few inches thereabove by means. of intermediate members 32 and 33. The spacing of the runner members 30 and 31 corresponds to the spacing of the rails, so that, when the sled is in correct position, there is a runner under each rail.

Further structural strength is obtained from two sets of stiffening bars 34 and 35 (see Figure 3) extending transversely across the underside of the main plate 11 between the beams 12, 13, 15 and 16, the more rearward bars 35 being partly interrupted by means of weep holes 36 that are cut in the main plate 11 to provide four vertical communicating passageways between the upper and lower sides of the plate 11.

Bolted (for easy removal when shipping) to the forward side edges of the main plate 11 are towing ears 37 and 38 provided with holes 39 and 40 for receiving shackles on the ends of towing cables. The manner of towing is described below in connection with Figure 9.

At its rearward edge the plate 11 is cut into forwardly projecting V-shape, the two rear edges of the plate thus forming carrying hinges 41 and 42 whereby a pair of main rear flaps 43 and 44 are pivotally mounted on the sled. Each of these flaps 43 and 44 has a levelling blade, designated respectively as 45 and 46, secured thereto by bolt and nut assemblies 47, the flaps 43 and 44 being slotted to receive these bolts to permit adjustment of the blades.

On each rearward side edge of the main plate 11 and secured to the upper surface thereof are rearwardly projecting arms 48 and 49. Extending downwardly and forwardly from the underside of each of these arms 48 and 49 is a partly arcuate bar 50 the forward edge of which is secured to a respective main beam 16 or 12 (as best seen in Figure 8). Each of these bars 50 has formed in it a series of holes 51, in a selected one of which holes a pin 52 may be mounted to project into the path of swinging movement of the outside edge 53 or 54 of a respective main rear flap 43 or 44.

The sled is also provided with a central rear flap 55 secured to the undersurface of the main plate 11 and to the rear edge of the beam 14 by means of binge 56. This central flap member has the shape of a trapezium widening from its connection at the hinge 56 to its rearward edge 57. An upper bar 58 extends rearwardly along the central portion of the main plate 11 above the beam 14 to overlie the hinge 56 and the central portion of the flap 55. The purpose of this central flap isto cover the gap that would otherwise exist between the inner ends 59 of the main flaps 43 and 44 and the blades 45 and 46 secured thereto. In prior forms of sled not so provided with a central flap, there has been a tendency for a strip of unlevelled ballast to be left by the sled along the centre of the track.

These fiap parts have been shown in difierent positions in the various figures. In Figures 1, 2 and 3, both the main flaps 43 and 44 and the central flap 55 have been shown in their uppermost positions. In a sense this is artificial, as the parts will not remain in this position without being supported, but this licence is necessary for completeness of illustration. By way of contrast, in Figure which is a front view and Figure 6 which is a fragmentary rear view, all the flaps have been shown in their lowered positions, that is to say projecting substantially vertically downwardly. Figure 8 is a further view showing this same lowered position. This is the true position of repose if the sled is assumed to be supported in its normal upright position without any object beneath it engaging the flaps which hang down below the level of the under-runners. It will be noted, particularly from Figure 6, that in this lowered position the the inner ends 59 of the flaps 43 and 44 and their blades 45 and 46 are spread apart. This effect is the result of the mutual inclination of the axes of the two hinges 41 and 42. It will further be noted that the flap 55 extends across the space between these inner ends 59. Figure 7 on the other hand shows a view in which the main flaps 43 and 44 are in their raised position, the central flap 55 hanging loosely downwardly between them. Again this is an artificial condition and is provided for purposes of illustration.

The detail structure of the upper runner members 30 and 31 can best be appreciated from the enlarged views of the member 30 provided by Figures 11, 12 and 13, the runner member 31 being identical. The runner member 30 consists of a base strip 70 serving to support three parallel, spaced, upwardly projecting flanges 71, 72 and 73. These flanges support a series of closely spaced transversely extending pins 74 that mount by means of bushings 75 two rows of rollers 76 arranged in staggered disposition on opposite sides of the central flange 72. As will be apparent from Figure 12, this manner of arranging the rollers 76 in two rows minimizes the effective depression between rollers and provides a much smoother upper surface to the runner members than could be pro vided by means of a single row of rollers, however closely spaced these might be.

A ballast sled such as the one herein described is employed to reballast track that has been skeletonized, that is to say plowed clean of old ballast, or to ballast new track that has been laid directly on the sub-grade without ballast. In the track shown in Figure 9, the tics 60 supporting the rails 61 in advance of the sled 10 are assumed to be resting directly on the upper surface of the sub-grade 62. Prior to the sledding operation, fresh ballast 63 will have been dumped from a railroad car to lie between the ties, as shown in Figure 9, and also to lie to some extent on top of the ties aproximately up to the upper level of the rails 61. The function of the sled device is to slide along with its under-runners on the sub-grade 62, to raise the track away from the ballast leaving it in uneven piles 64 in advance of the sled, and then to level off these piles to produce a smooth surfaced ballast layer 65 behind the sled, the ties 60 sliding on the upper runners 30 and 31.

This levelling operation is carried out by the blades 45 and 46 and, along the central area of the sled, by the central flap 55 in the manner best seen in Figure 10, which shows an enlarged fragment of this part of the device in operation All the flaps tend to hang downwardly by reason of their weight. When they encounter ballast they. are forced upwardly until the ends 53 and 54 of the main flaps 43 and 44 come to bear against the respective pins 52 in bars 50, the latter having been' placed in suitable holes having regard to the operating conditions, for example the volume of ballast (the thickness of ballast layer that is required to be applied), the form of ballast being used, the speed of towing, the weight of track, and any other factors found to influence the pulling conditions. Selection of the best setting for the flaps will be determined empirically on the site. The central flap 55 will likewise be forced upwards until it bears against the inner ends of the blades 45 and 46 whereupon further pivoting will be prevented and the lower edges of blade 45, flap 55 and blade 46 will form in effect a continuous ballast levelling blade extending uninterruptedly across the sled from side to side. In this manner the continuously smooth ballast layer 65 is formed free from any of the objectionable irregularities that have given rise to difficulties in the past.

Rearwardly of the sled 10 the track settles down onto the smooth layer 65 of ballast. The track raising part of the reballasting operation is then complete and subsequently additional ballast can be dumped between the ties directly from ballast cars. Towing of the sled is carried out in a conventional manner, employing a pair of cables 66 extending forwardly from the towing cars 37 and 38 to suitable towing points 67 on a flat car 68 which will be drawn along by means of a locomotive (not shown), as indicated by the arrow.

As will already have been observed from the other drawings, the upper runner members 30 and 31 are gently convexly curved throughout their full length, the upper surfaces of the rollers 76 following this same contour. Figures 14A and 14B, the latter being an extension of the former, illustrate diagrammatically measurements taken when drawing the ballast sled experimentally on a section of track having 115 pound rails, which is a comparatively rigid class of rail. The horizontal line X is assumed to represent the sub-grade and the inclined line Y the line of the bottoms of the ties. A series of measurements was taken at 10 foot spacings beginning at the point A which is the foremost point at which there was no perceptible raising of the ties. This point A will be arranged to be slightly rearwardly of the rear wheel of the towing car 68 (Figure 9), there being a measure of control over this point by the length of the towing cables 66, since the weight of the flat car 68 will tend to delay elevation of the track. In practice, it is desirable to keep these cables short enough to cause the weight of the flat car 68 to suppress somewhat the initial elevation of the track from that which would occur with a very long tow. Measurements were taken at successive 10 foot distances, namely at points B C D E F G H and I. As shown in Figures 14A and 14B, the elevation of the lower line Y of the ties at these points was respectively 3 /2", 8%, 14 /2", 12", 8 /4, 4%" and 1%". A further 4 feet and 10" rearwardly of the point I at the point I the track was again in contact with the sub-grade. This experiment was conducted under experimental conditions on new track with no ballast present, the track being returning to the sub-grade rather than to a layer of ballast, but the drawings still serve to demonstrate the point for which they were prepared, namely that the bottom line of ties coincides for a comparatively long span (approximately between the points K and L) with the arcuate upper surface provided by the curved runners 30 and 31 and their rollers 76.

Figures 15A and 15B are similar and almost identical views, but were plotted using a section of track having a rather limper class of rail, of the order of 85 pounds. As before, the lines X and Y denote the sub-grade and the line of the bottoms of the ties, and the points A B C D E F G H and I are similarly spaced, except that the distance between the points H and I is reduced to 8' 11 /2". The elevation at each of these points was, as shown, respectively 2", 6%", 12', 15'', 8 /2", 4%", 2 /2" and 0". Here the portion of rail in direct contact with the upper surface of the sled It) was rather longer, extending from the point M to the point N.

By somewhat decreasing the radius of curvature of the main span of the upper runners 30 and 31 (which in the sled illustrated is 100 feet) an extent of track rather longer than that shown between points K and L, or between points M and N, could be caused to coincide accurately with the device. Although this is possible, it would tend to increase slightly the overall height of the device, whereas it may not be really necessary. More important than the length of upper runner in contact with the ties, is the fact that, by means of the present construction, there is a continuous contact along this lengthnot at any one moment of course because of the spaces between the ties, but considering the upper surfaces presented by the runners in relation to the line Y traced out relative to the sled by the bottom surfaces of the ties. The operational improvement obtained by having a continuous line of contact between the ties and the runners even for the shorter distance between points K to L is very considerable in comparison with the prior art forms of runner which have been uncurved. When flat runners are used, the line Y of the ties tends'to touch each runner at two spaced points, one point near the forward end of the sled approximately in the position of the point M or the point K and the other towards the rear of the sled about the area of the point N with'no direct support for the span of track passing between these points. This has not only given rise to serious wear on the runners at these spaced points, but has tended to exert excessive pressures on the ties as they pass through these positions. It a rail spike happens to be notas firm as it should be, pressures of this kind can often tear the tie away from the rail with the result that the tie does not move rearwardly in relation to the sled with the remainder of the track. In reality the tieis pushed forwards with the sled towards the next tie when the. situation is aggravated, the next tie commonly yielding to such pressure even with normal spiking. Bunching of a series of ties then usually occurs which can only be cleared by stopping the sled and manually extricating the bunched ties. Furthermore, when a large number of ties bunch in front of the sled, it tends to put exaggerated pressure on the forward portion of the sled and therby allowing the trailing edge or flaps to rise in the air. This will cause either poor quality in the manner in which the flaps are levelling the ballast, or, in a case where excessive ballast is being forced to the outside, the raising of the after end of the ballast sled will cause ballast of a greater depth to be placed under the ties. This added depth will be continued until the sled is pulled under the track and the load of the railroad track is evenly distributed.

Moreover, with prior art forms of runners having 10- calized points of contact with the ties, when one of these theoretical points on the sled is positioned beneath a point on the track between ties, the point of contact is necessarily temporarily shifted to the position of the nearer tie. This constant movement of the point of contact relatively to the sled gives rise to a slight rise and fall in the elevation of the track passing over the sled. Thus there is a continuous small vertical oscillation of the track which both represents an inefficient use of the towing power and also gives rise to lack of uniformity of resistance to tow, which is reflected in tension variations in the cables and in the rate of towing and is generally detrimental to smooth operation.

The present invention, by employing a convexly curved runner avoids these difficulties, even when the bottom line of the ties is in contact with the upper surface of the runners for a distance no greater than the distance between points K and L. At least this contact is continuous and conforms generally to the natural curve in which the raised track tends to lie. This distance of contact will preferably be as great as four times (and certainly as great as three times) the distance between a pair of ties so that there will always be at least three ties in simultaneous contact with the rollers 76 of the runners 30 and 31, and a minimum radius of curvature of along the main span of the runners 30 and 31 has been found adequate for this purpose in normal circumstances.

As will be evident the provision of free running rollers 76 closely spaced to provide a substantially continuous running surface, will materially reduce friction between the sled and the track and thus improve the smoothness of towing.

The undertrack device of the present invention exhibits another valuable feature. As best seen from Figures 1 and 2, the forward portions 28 and 29 of the upper runner members 30 and 31, and the beams 13 and 15 supporting these portions, constitute a pair of forwardly protruding noses arranged each to one side of the longitudinal center line of the device and positioned each below a rail of the track. The manner and effect of this sideways displacement of the nose portions can best be appreciated, from Figures 16 and 17 which illustrate the particular function that these protruding noses perform. It should be explained that it is not. uncommon for the rail spikes at one end of the tie to work loose, then when the track is raised by the advancing sled, this end of the tie remains. lying on the sub-grade While its other end is elevated. by the rail. to which it is connected. Such a tie is shownat 60' in Figures 16 and 17. This situation is inherently likely to give rise to tie bunching, because, if this tie is not raised quickly into its proper position, the forces exerted on it when coming into contact with the leading portion of the sled will tend to work it free from the other rail and thus free to travel forwardly along the track ahead of the sled to abut against the next tie, thus impeding the proper progress of the latter up and over. the sled.

In prior designs of ballast sleds and plows. it has been usual to position the forwardmost part of the device along the center line thereof. By displacing the leading partsof the device to each side and arranging for these parts to protrude forwards a. greater distance than has previously. been. the case, it is possible to ensure that one or other of thesenoses. comes into engagement with a dropped tie such as the tie 60' long before the re.- mainder of the. sled approaches such tie. The manner in which the portion 29 will insert itself under the fallen end of the tie is clearly evident from Figure 16, this portion. then acting gently to raise such lowered end of the, tie, until it is back at least approximately in its normal position before it is called upon to travel rearwardly along the runners 30 and.31. Before a single, centrally situated protruding nose could begin to engage the undersurface of such a tie, the sled would have tobe very much near the tie, by reason of the greater distance between the sub-grade and the bottom of a transversely 8 inclined tie at its center than at its lower end. The provision of the. friction reducing rollers 76 the full distance forward to the extreme tips of, the portions 28 and 29 of'the runners 3t? and 31, also materially assists such a picking-up operation by bringing the tie immediately into contact with a surface offering small resistance to travel along it.

A further merit in the use of twin nose portions is improved track alignment. With a single central nose, line distortion was commonly experienced. It has been greatly reduced by the twin nose feature, as providing a more balanced and symmetrical elevation of. the track.

I claim:

In an under-track device for handling ballast under railroad tracks and ties, said device being of the type comprising a generally fiat framework adapted to be drawn along between the roadbed and the ties while supporting the weight of said ties and a span of track and having a pair of upper runners for engagement with the undersurfaces of the ties, said runners curving convexly upwards substantially to complement the natural curve of the line of tie bottoms of such span of track and presenting a surface of uniform frictional characteristics throughout their length.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 283,947 Augspath Aug. 28, 1883 966,613 Sparks Aug. 9, 1910 1,124,343 Simpson Jan. 12, 1915 1,313,353 Tobin Aug. 19, 1919 1,377,445 Siercks May 10, 1921 2,571,183 Banton, et al. Oct. 16, 1951 2,725,016 Fogelberg et al. Nov. 29, 1955 2,769,172 Franco Oct. 30, 1956 

